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Have the Audacity
"Have the Audacity" is all about stepping into your power and having the courage to live the life that you were meant to live. We're all about adding value by having conversations and learning the tools, tips, and tricks to live our own version of an audacious life.
Have the Audacity
[INTERVIEW] The Honest Truth Behind Listening to Your Intuition with Gracie Calvaneso
In this episode, we cover:
- Listening to Your Intuition
- Being Present
- Gaining Self Awareness to Connect to Your Intuition
- How to Increase Your Self Awareness
Want to connect with Gracie Calvaneso?
Instagram Account: @graciecalvaneso
Check Out Her Podcast: The Vocal Empowerment Podcast
Check Out Her Music on Spotify and Apple
Remember that, you are worthy. You have value. You get to take up space in this world simply because you exist. Don’t let anyone, including yourself, convenience you otherwise. If that idea or vision for your life is in you, then it is for you.
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Can you believe they have the audacity? Welcome to the have the Audacity podcast. I'm your host, jacey Lawlin. I'm on a mission to empower women like you to live audaciously. What does it mean to live audaciously, you ask? Living audaciously means you're no longer available for living your life based on someone else's agenda, standards or boundaries. It's time to activate your power, use your voice and create the life you're meant to live. So the next time someone asks, can you believe she had the audacity, you can look at them and say, yeah, I did. Hey, audacious Human, I can never not start an episode like this. I am super excited.
Speaker 1:This interview I've been sitting on is long overdue to get to you. I am so excited to get to introduce you to my friend, gracie, and the fact that I get to call this amazing, powerful woman my friend, to call this amazing powerful woman my friend like blows my mind that I have had the opportunity in the last year to meet the people that I have and to have the friends that I have. So, gracie, a little bit about her. I met Gracie for some context in 2023. I was in a business mastermind for a year. She was in it and I met her that way and she honestly has just become such a good friend.
Speaker 1:And um, a little bit about Gracie before we get started. Gracie lives in Nashville. She is a pop artist, a holistic vocal coach and a spiritual life coach and we kind of get into all the things. I I'm just excited for you to get to meet. Her Energy is infectious and it comes through the audio.
Speaker 1:You are for sure going to feel like you are just sitting down, like the three of us are just sitting down having this conversation together. So if you're driving your car, please pay attention to the road. If you're at home getting ready, whatever. It's time to have a girl chat. Let's jump on into today's episode. Hey, audacious Human, we're just decided we were chatting before we started, that we were just going to push record and just jump in. Gracie and I have known each other for like a year and a half now and we haven't got to talk in a few months, and so we just like we're jumping in, we're like we need to record this, this, you need to be in on this. So to give you context before we get started, everybody meet Gracie. Gracie, thank you so much for coming on the show.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I'm so excited to be here.
Speaker 1:And before we like catch the listener and what we were talking about. Um, do you want to tell a little about who you are, what it is you do?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, hi guys, I'm Gracie Nice to meet all of you listening. I am a spiritual pop artist, holistic vocal coach and intuitive life coach and healer in Nashville, Tennessee. My entire life's purpose is to teach people how to connect to their intuition.
Speaker 1:So good and when we were talking about this, like Gracie was like you have to push record and you have to share, like so we're just changing the whole direction and we're just going wherever this is meant to go. And here we are, so we were catching up. So I was telling Gracie to fill you in that I am coming out of a season of where I put push pause on the podcast, on my business, on everything. Like I stopped consuming nonfiction books that I'm an avid reader, any podcasts for learning, I tuned it all out. I didn't watch documentaries really anymore, like I just was like we're going to watch mindless trashy television, read fiction books and only listen to like I was listening to podcasts that are about like shows that I like, so like nothing.
Speaker 1:I was like we're just going to enjoy life and like go out and like live and stop being trapped by your goals, because I had gotten to a point where I felt like there were so many other people's opinions in my head that I wasn't. I couldn't even hear myself anymore and and so coming out of that, I feel so light and like I want to do things and I have such a clear direction now and it's now coming back into things with this intention of okay, how do I want to do this for me, what does this look best for me? And making decisions that way, instead of looking at people who are 10 steps ahead of me, what are they doing? Way, instead of looking at people who are 10 steps ahead of me, what are they?
Speaker 2:doing, and like what are they saying that I should be doing? Yeah, it's totally about presence, right being in the present moment instead of focusing on the future, listening to what you need in that present moment instead of trying to plan all of your next steps, and I bet that gave you so much clarity too, didn't it?
Speaker 1:It really did, like I, I got back to what I really, the heart of what I really wanted to do. Um, that I like knew I wanted to do years ago, like five years ago, I like, I like it came back to me and was like this is what you're meant to do. Stop looking everywhere else and be here in this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I love that and it's so funny.
Speaker 2:I was just sharing with JC that I'm about to do the same thing.
Speaker 2:I'm about to go out of town for a week and a half and just literally, I'm not even bringing any nonfiction books with me, I'm just going to read like romance novels, lay on the beach for like a week and a half. So important to take that time to rest. And it actually ties in perfectly to what I was going to talk to you about today with listening to your intuition, because a huge piece of listening to your intuition is the surrender piece. Right, it's about not doing so much, and I don't know about you, but I still have a hard time with this, even though I teach it. Like I find myself scrolling on Instagram so often when I'm like okay, and then I pause and I'm like okay, I just need to take a second and do a meditation and figure out what I actually want to be doing right now instead of scrolling, it's huge. And when you can find that silence and that time for yourself to just enjoy life and be in the flow state everything falls into place.
Speaker 1:It really does, and I know like you're listening to this and you're like cool, that sounds great, but that sounds terrifying.
Speaker 2:My life goes too fast, there's too much going on and like, honestly, like that's when you need it the most and it's extremely uncomfortable used to working and overworking yourself, like if you're used to having a crazy, insanely busy schedule and then you're like I'm just going to block off four hours of time just for myself. That feels scary, cause it's like what do I even do during that time? Well, here's what I would tell you to do Whatever you want, literally ask your intuition. What do I want to do today? And do that.
Speaker 2:I advise my clients to do this all the time, and I actually set up my schedule so that I have one full day a week just for myself so that I can just do whatever I want that day and it's changed my life Everything's easier.
Speaker 1:I love that and, too, during this time for me, I was still working my full-time job and teaching, so was like I need money coming in, so like we're gonna keep working. But like what, what can I take off? It's like, okay, well, I don't have to release a new podcast episode to a podcast episodes a week, like that's not going anywhere. All the episodes are out there, like previously, like I don't need to keep pushing out new. You don't like. It's like was like I could stop. It's not going anywhere. It's going to be there when I come back, like we can just take a break. And then I was like, well, what do I do with this time? I realized like I don't really have hobbies.
Speaker 1:My hobby was reading, but I was reading with a purpose Cause I was reading to learn things, to like improve myself or my business or with clients, and it just was like I read a fiction book for the first time in years. It was like, oh, this is nice. And um, we had a valentine's party, like because this was in February, when I was doing this with some friends and like I'm a big Swifty, and so we got like friendship bracelet stuff and I just like started my bracelets and I was like when is the last time I've just sat here and just like for no reason other than it was fun?
Speaker 1:yeah exactly, it's yeah, and it was like no, it was just like. When did we stop allowing ourselves to just have fun?
Speaker 2:yeah, that's what life is about. It's the presence. I mean we work so that we can feel that sensation of just existing right. It's like when we think about what we're working towards, it's to feel in the flow state, but many people don't realize you can feel in the flow state right now. You can feel all the love and the joy and the abundance right now if you really allow yourself to and tap into it.
Speaker 1:So for the person listening, they're like okay, gracie, how do I tap into it right now, like I'm sitting in traffic and I have a full day and I have no time to stop. Like you're telling me I can tap into abundance in this flow state now, like, how does that happen?
Speaker 2:Absolutely so. The way that I started was just five minutes of meditation a day, that's all. So I would wake up in the morning first thing, before checking my phone, meditate for five minutes. Then that turned into doing yoga every day. And so I do yoga every single day.
Speaker 2:I don't miss it. It's a non-negotiable for me and that is my time to just connect with myself first before I connect with the rest of the world. And if you're listening to this and you're really empathic and intuitive, like I am, you need that time for yourself. But I think everybody needs that time for yourself, because you can't pour into others unless you pour into yourself first. So taking even just five minutes a day to start and making that a habit will change your life. But if you can't even do five minutes, just start with one minute. Just start with two deep breaths every morning. Actually, let's do it together right now. Yes, let's all just pause.
Speaker 2:I also teach mindfulness. So pause, take a deep breath in wherever you are and exhale and exhale, exhale, take another, inhale, feel your belly, expand, exhale. Let's do one more and for a little bonus, you can roll your shoulders up and down. Then take another deep breath in, exhale and you're back to the present. That's all you need. Sometimes. It's that simple. If you can find that little moment of presence for yourself daily, you'll change your life I, I love that and just I'm like, oh, I love breathing.
Speaker 1:It's just like the most underrated thing, like people like you do it all the time. I'm like no, I can intentionally breathe. It will change your life, like literally, like you can just feel it and um. So if somebody's new to meditating, they're listening to this and your life like literally, like you can just feel it and um. So if somebody's new to meditating, they're listening to this and they're like cool, like I hear where, like you're like, okay, meditate for a minute, five minutes, like what does that mean? Does that mean I'm just sitting when I'm starting out and just doing that, that same breathing, just in and out, and just sitting with myself. Like what do you suggest there for somebody just starting out?
Speaker 2:Yeah, honestly, it's just about mindfulness, so noticing, as you're breathing, where your brain wants to go, what your brain starts to think about. And if you find that your brain is wandering, what I recommend doing and I learned this from the calm app just saying thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking, like I'm acknowledging that my brain is thinking, but I'm not going to pay attention to that right now. I'm going to be here in this present moment with my breath and just focusing on that, even for one breath to start, and I will say and this is something that my mentor, maria, teaches me all the time, she's my spiritual mentor you don't have to be perfect with meditation. A lot of times we think, oh, I need to sit down, I need to meditate and I need to just be silent and silence my mind for an hour and that's. I mean, that's so extreme. You don't have to silence your mind.
Speaker 2:The human mind is supposed to wander, but can you be present with your breath as your mind is wandering? That's what meditation is, that's what mindfulness is and you know, I know I want to talk a little bit too about because this actually ties in perfectly to my work, which is mindfulness and singing and when you can be present and mindful in your body as you are singing and you're feeling the joy of that experience. It changes the experience of singing and your voice, and so mindfulness really is the key to life. It's about presence. It's about presence, it's about being here, because if we're always thinking about the future, then we're not actually enjoying life. We're just striving for something that's going to happen later. Can you be here now and enjoy the beauty of what this present moment has to offer you right now?
Speaker 1:and that's where I think a lot of people struggle, and it's what I want to tell people and it's what, if you're like identifying with this, you're like, yeah, I struggle with this too, like there's no shame or anything to it? Our society is structured in a way especially if you're listening to this in like the United States, it's structured in a way for you not to be present Absolutely, and so this does feel very counter-cultural or to what you're taught and what everybody else is taught doing yeah, yeah it absolutely is.
Speaker 2:But again, just start with a couple of minutes a day.
Speaker 1:If you're listening.
Speaker 2:You're like I want to do that. I want to be more present. I want to feel calm in my day-to-day life because, I mean, what's the number one thing most people struggle with? Anxiety? Right, mindfulness counteracts anxiety, because anxiety is thinking about the future. But if you can be here in the present moment, the future doesn't exist in this present moment. That's so powerful. I'm getting all spiritual guru on you guys.
Speaker 1:No, I am here for it. It's so needed and it's just this is just like a good, like the energy, and I know like I can feel this energy coming through, like this conversation is just like very peaceful and it's just like this warm hug, reminder of just like to be present. And it's something that I went through and like I know these things and am way more present than I was several years ago. But in the last six to eight weeks I've reached a new level because you know, like old habits come back up or they show up in new ways. You're like, oh, I dealt with this. And you're like, ah, it's just looks different now and that is the healing journey. And if you're listening and nobody's told you yet, like you think you got through it but you just experienced it in a new way. So it's fun.
Speaker 1:But I had found myself like I mean, I was in the kitchen the end of January, like eight weeks ago, when we're recording this like on the bathroom or on the kitchen floor crying. It was just like I'm so overwhelmed and like I cannot, I cannot do this. And I was like what is going on? And it was like, well, like you're not here, your brain is literally, you're never where you are, like you're not present where you are, you're literally all over the place. And that was when I decided, like I need to just shut everything down. We need to pause. This is no longer. I'm no longer in control of it. I'm allowing it to control my life, to control me, and we need to reset. And so I found myself like when's the last time I showered and didn't listen to anything? Yeah, when's the last time I watched TV and wasn't scrolling at the same time? Oh, wow.
Speaker 2:That question. I think a lot of us need to hear that can I say that again?
Speaker 1:so, like when was the last time you were watching tv and not scrolling at the same time? I was like oh, okay, so, and that was really uncomfortable to start with, because it and I realized it was just a habit. It was just a subconscious habit, like like you're not even present when you're watching something everything it all is.
Speaker 2:But the cool thing is that to those of you guys listening to this, there's a reason why you're listening to this and you start to shift it and make changes. And I also want to say it's it's kind of a blessing and a curse being a very highly motivated person because you just want to do all the things. And I know Jason and I can relate on this because we are both super, super ambitious. We just have huge goals and dreams and sometimes you have to just remind yourself there's divine timing and everything. I don't have to do everything right now. I can see what happens. And that's also having faith in God, the universe source, energy. Whatever you believe in, it's having the faith that you will be supported, there's divine timing for you and that if you have a desire within your heart, that thing also desires you. So the energy of that thing, whatever it is, it also desires you and if you feel that desire, it's coming from God, meant for you. So you don't have to rush, and actually God doesn't want you to be stressed out and rushing. God wants you to be present. So if you find yourself of that truth and it's difficult because you have to reprogram everything that you know and that you've been taught by society and your parents and generations of people. You have to reprogram everything, but remind yourself what I'm desiring also desires me, and I actually don't need to rush this process.
Speaker 2:I can be present here in this moment with whatever is existing, no matter what. It is right, Even if you have like screaming kids and debt and you're paying your taxes. You've got a messy house, you have a sink full of dishes. Can you just let it be okay and be present? And bringing this a little bit back to what I teach with singing and this is how I started teaching singing, because I combined these two ideas together With singing can you be present as you're trying to sing and your jaw is shaking because it's uncomfortable, being open, Present and sing as you're trying to hit a high note and the note isn't quite coming out?
Speaker 2:Can you give yourself love and grace and compassion in the present moment? That's the key. It's mindfulness. Give yourself love and grace and compassion in the present moment, that's the key. It's mindfulness. The awareness is key. So whenever you can come back to that awareness and just be in the present moment and accept the present moment, that's where the magic happens and that kind of goes against what we've been taught about um, about like working in America, especially Right. So yeah, that was a big long tangent about that, but I hope it was helpful to hear it was, and it's like selfishly for me, because there's three of us having a conversation here.
Speaker 1:It's like I just had a conversation yesterday and immediately when you're talking about it, like I was reminded of it and somebody had seen this spiritual teacher on Instagram, like their video, talking about it, like I was reminded of it, and somebody had seen, um, this spiritual teacher on on instagram, like their video, talking about this and being mindfulness and being present in the moment and how we always think we need to be working towards something. But actually, if we focus on where we are now, like you don't move, like time, like everything moves to you and everything, like, like that time moves through you, like you're not moving through time as a what are in, like whatever you believe, like, like, like our souls are energy, like we can all agree and time moves through you.
Speaker 1:You don't move through time, so be present where you are, and actually things that are for you in the future will come to you, will appear to have come to you faster because you're living in your present moment and I just thought that was such a cool switch that I've never heard of before, of just looking at time is like no, I don't move through time, like time's moving through me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's cool. It's really about surrender. And it's funny that you say this too, because, as I've been practicing mindfulness really heavily, like the past three or four years, I want to say, but it's been an ongoing thing for like 10 years, present moment, and have, you know, gotten a little further with it and I've noticed how quickly the past few years have just flown by. For me, it's like time goes by faster when you're more mindful. I don't know if that makes sense.
Speaker 1:It goes faster in the moments last longer too. It's a very weird like dichotomy to it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's what it is. Yeah, and really, why do we exist on this earth? It's to exist. We don't exist to you know, work and create things. We exist to exist in peace and harmony, and you can always find that. Now it's like we forget that we're working so that we can find peace and harmony and tranquility, but we can find that at any given moment, if we choose to. It's always available to us. I sound so like spiritual guru today on this podcast, but I'm so here for it.
Speaker 1:You know it's just coming through and your voice is so like, your energy is just so like even in calming and chill, like it is just I'm like go record some meditations, I'm just going so I can listen to them, like it's just like that nice, calming, like awesome, like that's a nice warm hug voice. But it is so true and it's just something that I know people need to hear and you and I both will like, because we know each other, that we both feel passionately about this and and even just being vulnerable of just like hey, we talk about this all the time, but we still work through it in different levels.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I'll be the first to tell you I am the most imperfect human being ever and I teach. I was actually just I'm teaching a class right now on boundaries called unmuted, teach. I was actually just I'm teaching a class right now on boundaries called unmuted, and I was telling all of the women in the program you know, I'm teaching you guys this and I still am not perfect at it Like I just drew an overly rigid boundary the other day and I'm teaching you guys how to not draw overly rigid boundaries. So we I mean we, we're all imperfect and so perfectionism isn't the goal. Even with meditation, right, like we were talking about, you don't have to just silence the voice in your head because you're meditating. You don't have to just sit there in silence and just like, oh, I'm a perfect little yogi meditator now, just sitting here in silence. That's not the key. It's about presence, it's about being here now.
Speaker 1:And it's normally in those moments where you do like things get still and quiet, you and you start to gain this awareness, like check in, like how's your body feeling? Like, how are your muscles? Are you feeling relaxed? Like, think about you're like I don't know how I can tell that. Well, think about when you're watching a scary movie or walking through a dark alley or whatever. Your muscles are tense, you feel it. Or if you're nervous, before you go to speak, notice how your body feels in those moments. Those are big things that we can often think of and then like okay, while you're sitting here taking deep breaths in and out, do you feel that way right now? Where is the tension?
Speaker 2:Right. Your body will always tell you our bodies I like to think that our souls partner with our bodies when we come to this and our bodies will always tell us. Your, your body and your emotions will give you so much insight If you listen. That's what listening to your intuition is. You're listening to your body, listening to your emotions, listening to what your body is trying to tell you through your emotions. When you can gain awareness around that, that's when you are connected to your intuition and connected to the divine. If you believe that, if you don't believe in the divine, then it's how you connect with other people, which I believe is also the divine.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's. It's just one of those things that I don't know. Like, meditation can just be like oh, it's a thing like people do, like it is talked about a lot now, but it's like, this is what it feels like, and this is why, because in those, you start to realize like you gain more self-awareness because you're more present in the moment. And then I noticed for me on my own journey, when I was really like struggling with anxiety attacks and things and that was I really dove into mindfulness was I could feel the tension in my body coming before it was coming. So then I would know that I needed to like regulate my nervous system, like, and I wasn't having panic attacks.
Speaker 1:You're like, oh, in control. It's like, oh, my body's been trying to tell me this. I just wasn't aware, I didn't know how to listen to the signals. And so you get to this place and you're just like, oh, you're calm, you feel relaxed and like that voice comes into your head while you're meditating. 're like, okay, you can discern. Is it here like, am I distracted or is this like a? Or is God what like speaking to me? Yeah, is this a download moment?
Speaker 2:right, I was just hit with this giant wave of gratitude as we're talking about that, and I'm just like feeling it because mindfulness has changed my entire life, and I'm not even just saying that it's, I mean, it's literally, it's the when I think about what it is that I teach. At the root, it's mindfulness. Yeah, it's about voice, it's about listening to your voice, it's about speaking, it's about boundaries, it's about letting yourself be heard. But really it comes back to mindfulness. And when I tell you mindfulness has changed my life, I'm not even exaggerating it literally has.
Speaker 2:I used to have crippling anxiety to the point of where I couldn't even leave my house. I was so anxious I would spend days anxiously scrolling on social media and I was not in control of my emotions. I was constantly anxious and tightening my throat and angry with people, because when you have anxiety, you often will feel a lot of anger. I was constantly angry and I didn't understand why. And once I discovered yoga and mindfulness, it changed everything. It changed my voice too, because I realized I'm tightening my throat muscles because I'm not aware. And when I become aware of the tightening of my throat muscles, my voice changed, my singing changed and that's what I teach people now.
Speaker 2:So mindfulness, what I'm telling you, mindfulness has changed my life. I'm not exaggerating, it's literally changed my life and you can start. If you're listening to this and it feels overwhelming to you, just start with. If you can't do five minutes a day, start with two breaths a day. Just commit to it. And this is also how you build self-trust by committing to doing just a little bit every day. And, as you were saying that, I don't even know something about what you were saying, like the vibrational frequency and the energy of what you were saying. Just hit me with this wave of gratitude, jc.
Speaker 1:And maybe this is because I'm like like that is where I'm at. It's just so much gratitude for it and really just being authentically vulnerable in this conversation of just like it truly is. And I mean really like you talk about how you teach people to use their voices in singing and in life and setting boundaries and saying no, but, like you know, you really are teaching mindfulness and really mindfulness is at the root of everything. It is.
Speaker 2:It's presence, it's existing, which is what we're here to do. I mean, there are many of us that feel like we've been called to this earth to accomplish huge missions, but I think the dichotomy of that is that you need to be present while you're accomplishing your huge mission. Why can't I say the word mission today? Oh, my gosh, yeah, but presence, right, presence as you are working towards your mission. If you're not present during it, you're not really going to be feeling it. And why are we doing it if we can't be here with it?
Speaker 1:And I love this too, because I immediately just am like thinking of them and getting this image of just if you're not present and like, yes, we all like, have humans like four goals. Most of us are like we're there, you and I know we were put on this earth to do very big things and teach people to do things very differently. To do very big things and teach people to do things very differently. And but I got to thinking like, if you're not present in the moment, you're just working for this goal and insert whatever goal it is. It could be running a marathon or whatever going to college, whatever it is.
Speaker 1:Like you're just when am I going to get to the end? What am I going to get to the end? Focusing on moving forward and not being present in your life? Now, time's going to pass and you're not getting that time back. You're going to miss so much and then once you accomplish the thing it is that you currently have set as your goal, whatever it is, that lasts for a moment and then you're immediately looking at something next. So are you going to miss four years of your life by not being present for one day? Right, and you don't get that time back.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm. Yeah, you know, didn't Taylor Swift say something about how the work is the reward? Have you heard this? I'll find it in sentence yeah, it's like work is the reward. So for her, the creation of the art is the reward. Like, instead of working towards, I'm going to win a Grammy for this or whatever, or like you know. And in my industry, it's like how can I create a song that's going to go viral on TikTok? That's actually never the way that I've approached my art. It's always been. I create art to help me feel my feelings and I love the creation piece of it. And even if this song goes nowhere and doesn't, like you know, make it on the radio or whatever, the creation of it is the reward. So I mean, it's so cliche, but it's about the journey, not the destination, right?
Speaker 2:no, it is, it is yeah, and Miss Taylor Allison Swift said this Allison's her middle name, right? You know better than I would over here.
Speaker 1:But I mean, it's so true and like, just even like how you said it, it's just like a, it's a good reminder because, again, like coming back to how this, like the beginning of this conversation, that's very counter to what culture in the U? S is. Yeah, it's always changed for the next thing. Like you're going to be happy when you reach the goal. Well, yeah, that's not true, because the goalpost is always moving. Yeah, I mean, that's capital. Yeah, so I mean, and it's like you know, with, like your, with your music and your art it's like we're taught to measure success by things outside of us. Even like with this podcast, like it's successful depending on how many downloads it gets. Well, if you're striving for something that's out of your control, you're giving your power away, right?
Speaker 2:And I think something is successful even if it impacts one person or if you get something out of it. I am getting so much joy from this conversation. To me, this is an instant success. You know what I mean. That's what it's's about, and when I write my songs, I receive so much healing through writing music that to me, that's the success, and if it can go on to impact more people, even better. But it's already impacted me and I'm proud of that.
Speaker 1:I love that and your songs are amazing, like we're just gonna say thank you, thank you so much.
Speaker 2:Yeah, to those of you guys listening, I have a song that I released called no, in January, and it's all about having boundaries and saying no. So, jc, you were probably at a no moment when you were crying on your kitchen floor and you're like, oh, I'm done with all of this stuff, right? Yes, I would say, anytime that you feel anger, frustration, resentment, it's time to draw a boundary in your life and sometimes the boundaries with yourself it's like, oh, I cannot keep living this way and that's what no is about. So for you guys listening to this podcast, to stream my song now and I hope that it helps you and I also have got another one out called the tension, which is about liking living in the center of attention. And that's my life. I love being in the center of attention.
Speaker 1:I do too. I love it. Like I'm just like I love your music and like the messaging and your music and it's just like so relatable. And you know, even with attention like I want to talk about no for sure, but even with attention I'm like I love attention and I love that there's a song about loving attention and that's great because, like I mean, you think about if you're like I don't know, I don't like attention. Well, like, let's ask yourself, cause some people don't, and that's fine. But like, think about when you were little I mean me age myself here, but it's fine like when I was little we had like the video cameras and like all these videotapes of like videos of us, and like people would have it out, I would run into the room and be like here I am like, oh, trying to catch my little sister's first steps. Look at me, I could do a cartwheel like attention here, and so I've always known that about myself. But then, as as I grew up, got, older I was like.
Speaker 1:I don't really like being in the center of attention. I don't really like it and I was like for it right as you get older?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so it was like I love this of like no. Like, like it be who you are, say no to the things that you want to say no to. And I love to like with no. It's even you know on this, and I'm sure you can talk about this even more like, do you ever have clients come with you who are like having to say no to things that are look good? Oh yeah, absolutely. And like navigating, that is like it's not, like anything bad is happening. But this is a good thing, but it's not a yes to me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, and this has happened to me many times in my life. I'm thinking even like with dating. You know, there have been guys who I've dated that look perfect on paper but to me it just feels like a no. And then, when my current partner, alex, and I got together, I just knew that he was the one. It felt like a complete yes in my body and I didn't know why. It didn't make sense to me logically, but you know that's.
Speaker 2:It's really about listening to your intuition. Actually, the line, the first line in the chorus is it's time for me to listen to my intuition. Stop saying yes when I want to say no. And it for me to listen to my intuition. Stop saying yes when I want to say no. And it really is about listening to your intuition. It doesn't matter what looks good on paper or the nine to five job with the big salary. If it doesn't feel like a yes to you, it's not a yes.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you've got to do things that don't make sense to other people, but you're listening to yourself and that's what we're called to do here. We're not here to just do what everybody else is doing and like I mean as much as we've been conditioned to think in America to get a nine to five job and you know, work until we're. I don't even know what the retirement age is now. I think it's been lifted Like you're now you're talking about. The retirement age is now. I think it's been lifted Like you're now you're talking about the goalposts moving. I think the retirement age has changed.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, they're talking about changing it from 65 to 75 and you're just like what?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's, it's ridiculous. And so I don't think that people are put here to work nine to fives and then retire at 75, like and just have like a normal, traditional life of like marriage, kids, family, work all day, be stressed out all day, go home to your kids, take care of kids, put them to bed, have the kids in school, have everybody be stressed out all the time, retire at 75, then finally get to enjoy a few years of your life before you die, like we're not on this earth to do that. And I mean all of this is what my life's mission is. It's to teach people how to listen to their intuition, how to feel connected to themselves, and I do that through teaching boundaries, through teaching singing as a way of healing and connecting to yourself, and through my music. So I teach a lot of different lessons of my music.
Speaker 2:I'm actually recording today, after this, and I'm so excited because the next song that I'm recording is called they Say, and the first lines of the song are they say play it safe, Don't fall prey to the dreams you chase. They say they know best, but their happiness comes from wanting less. I say this life is mine, mine to live my way, and I don't give a damn what they say. I'm so excited, thank you. So it's I mean, it's everything I do is about listening to your intuition, cause it's the most important thing, I think. I think it's really the most important thing you can do, and it comes through mindfulness. It comes through listening to yourself and your emotions and what lights you up. And if you're listening to this and you're in a place where, maybe where JC was six weeks ago, was that when it was where she was just so overwhelmed and fed up with everything and just needed a break. I encourage you to follow her example and take a little break for yourself.
Speaker 2:And even if you can't take a complete break, can you schedule one full day for yourself? If you have kids, can you get a babysitter for the kids, or see if your sister will watch them, or whatever a babysitter for the kids, or see if your sister will watch them, or whatever? Can you take a full day just for you to take care of you and do whatever it is that you want to do, not what you need to do. Maybe that is the case. You need to do your dishes or whatever, but can you take a day to just follow your joy, like one day I did this and I connected to what do I want to do today, and it was like I want to go to the zoo, I want to go see animals. That sounds so fun.
Speaker 2:So let your inner child out, let your inner child share with you what they want to do that day and just listen to your intuition. It'll lead you to beautiful places. And you know, when we talk about productivity, and especially as business owners, I think we can get in this loop of like I need to sit down at my computer and I need to work for a certain amount of hours, but I don't know about you by the lake, which is what I love to do, or sitting outside or playing with my dog, or out trying a new restaurant. It's when I'm doing something that's in the flow state, bringing me joy, or out walking or exercising or in a yoga class. That's when I get my best ideas. And actually a big piece for me with the creative process is that I wake up with melodies in my head.
Speaker 2:The reason why the melodies come to me. I'm clairaudient, which means that I hear things. I have all the clairs, though clairvoyant, clairaudient, clairsentient, clairgustant, clairalient. I think there's another one that I'm missing, basically with all the senses, claircognizant. Did I say that one? I don't know. That's the other one. That's actually my main one. It's the knowing. But I'm clear audience. So I hear melodies when I wake up and that's what I use to write my songs. So, like when I wrote attention, what I heard was and I was like, okay, I'm going to turn that into a song, and then I got more inspiration. But it's no surprise to me that these melodies come to me when I've just woken up after sleeping, because I've been resting and in a flow state, I've been relaxed.
Speaker 1:And the melodies come to me when I'm spending more time in my day-to-day life in mindfulness, and then I go to sleep and I wake up with a melody and I'm like reminded of this, of just like you talking about like you're living your life, and it made me think of like another artist, like Kelsey Ballerini, just came out and she was like okay, cool, like she finished her tour and she was like I'm gonna go live a life now, so I have something to write about. Absolutely. She was like I'll see you later. It was like I need to go live and it's so true like you can't create anything. Yeah, like sitting there willing it to you. Like you have to go live your life. Yeah, you have to be in that flow state yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:There's a book called big magic um by liz gilbert. Have you read that book?
Speaker 1:I am reading it right now. I'm about halfway through it.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, you're reading it right now. Yes, I'm reading it right now, oh my gosh. Okay, I love how she talks about creativity and how the ideas are looking for like a vessel to create them. And it's so true, but you're not going to receive the ideas if you're like just sitting at your computer and you're like I need to work, like I need an idea.
Speaker 2:Right, like I'm going to sit down and I'm going to create a course to sell online, like it's not going to happen. It can happen when you're in a flow state, and that's when the best things come.
Speaker 1:I loved too, because I just got to this part of the book, like her whole thought on this and I love that thinking like ideas are just looking for somebody to bring them to life, and like, if you don't, even if it's a good one, you're like, oh no, that's not for me, like it's going to go find somebody else. And then that's in the moment, like you're like I thought about doing that and like, oh, look, they went and did it and she talked about this book, this fiction book that she wanted to write about, like set in the past, with in um, I can't remember, like the european country, or it was like, oh, it's the amazon, it was about the highway that they were trying to build in the amazon forest and got abandoned, and she had this whole thing. But then life happened and she was like I'm going to put this off for a year and I'll come back to it. Well, then a year came by and she came back to it and she was like it was like the idea was gone, there was nothing there.
Speaker 1:And then, within the next year, she met up with another author somewhere. They ran into each other and they were talking and she was like, oh, I'm writing this book and it's about this, all these things, and it was. It looked different, but it was based in the same time while they're building this Amazon, the highway in the Amazon, and she was like this is crazy, like I have to tell you like I'm so glad this idea found you, but like I started this, and she was like, and like I never told anybody, so it was just this really cool of just like to think about it that way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the way that I see it is that everything has an energy. So the ideas have an energy, like the energy of my song attention, for example, when I got the melody in my head, that energy existed outside of me. First it didn't come from me, it existed from the divine, I like to think, and then it was just plopped into my brain and into my energy field for me to create something with it, because I was open to receiving it, because I was in a flow state. I wasn't, you know, sitting at my computer trying to come up with ideas. I was in a flow state and the idea came to me. And this is so important. And again, it comes back to mindfulness. You know I want to share too that and I hope this is okay that I'm sharing. Jc and I recorded another podcast episode like eight months ago, and the energy of it didn't feel right to us, so we didn't release it and I think it's because we needed to talk about this specifically.
Speaker 1:I agree, the energy of this is just so different. It is and it wasn't even like cause I remember talking to you about it I was like, hey, I don't like there was nothing about this conversation that was bad, like it wasn't great. There was a lot of good like things in there. I really enjoyed it. But I was like there's just something that I'm like this isn't where we are and I think we have to do another one. Like I can't explain it isn't where we are and I think we need to do another one. Like I can't explain it, like I need you to trust me, like I'll send it to you, but I'm not saying it's bad, but like I just I think I think it's just not it, and I do think it's because this is totally different that we needed.
Speaker 2:We needed to have this conversation today. Yeah, but mindfulness, I love that. You trusted your intuition on that and I trusted it too. I was like, okay, let's, let's do another one, like I trust that and really I mean the other one. I think it was just me telling my story, which, if you guys want to hear my story, I can share. I have a podcast episode on. I have a podcast, too, called the vocal empowerment podcast, and JC, I'll share that episode with you If anyone, if anybody listening to this, wants to hear about my story of learning to listen to my intuition.
Speaker 1:Yes. I'll for sure link it in the show notes. Okay, yeah, awesome.
Speaker 2:But you know, I've told that story so many times. I don't think that we need to keep talking about it. I think that we need to have this conversation about mindfulness and really what it is that I actually teach, which is mindfulness.
Speaker 1:I love, I love this and I love like everything about this conversation and time, just like, like flew by, like down at my clock and I was like Whoa, okay, I was like I feel like we've been here for like five minutes, like, just like in the moment, you know, we are.
Speaker 1:And so, and I'm like I need to go, we get done with this conversation. I'm like I need to go journal, I need to go write this down, like I'm glad we have this recording, but I'm like I need their stuff, I need to to get out, and so I just want to say thank you for coming on. I have two more questions. Yes, this is have the audacity podcast, and so what does the phrase have the Audacity mean to you?
Speaker 2:For me, it's being bold and unapologetic, about listening to your inner voice and your intuition, what it is that you want to do with your life, and not listening to what everybody else tells you that you should be doing. And that's the exact way that I live my life. So I think that I have a lot of audacity because you do, thank you, because I don't let anybody tell me what to do. I mean, I literally moved thousands of miles away from my family to live in Nashville and it didn't make any sense. And I started my business and that didn't make sense. And I'm pursuing this huge dream, which also doesn't make sense to most people, but it doesn't have to make sense to anybody else, because it makes sense to me. That's all that matters and that's what having audacity is to me.
Speaker 1:It's like I'm reminded of the quote I can't remember who said it, but nobody else understands your dream because it was unmeant for them Exactly. Nobody else understands your dream because it was unmeant for them, exactly, so they're not supposed to. Yeah, absolutely, I love that. And the last question that I have and you alluded to this, we talked about it but some podcasts have Spotify playlists and things that we add songs to. I have a self-care ebook and every guest who comes on shares their go-to self-care, and so I want to add yours. So what is your go-to self-care?
Speaker 2:Oh, I love that my go-to self-care is breathing. It's taking breaths. I love breathing so much that I literally have the word breathe tattooed on my arm to remind me every single day to breathe.
Speaker 1:I love it. Yes, thank you.
Speaker 2:That's it. That's my go-to. I mean. Other things that come to mind are if I can take the space for it, I love to go take a solo beach trip and just go sit by the ocean. If I can't make it to the ocean, I go to the lake here in Nashville and I sit by the lake. Practicing yoga is another go-to here in Nashville and I sit by the lake. Practicing yoga is another go-to and I I do all of. I mean I obviously breathe every day, but with intention. I do all these things. I do one of these things at least daily. So I'll, I'll, I'll, do yoga daily, do meditation, breathing daily, and I often will get to the lake and and go sit by the lake and just observe the water and the ducks swimming in the pond, all cute. And when I can make it out to the ocean, I just sit by the ocean and it's my favorite thing ever.
Speaker 1:So that's my self-care, it's presence and breath. I absolutely love it and fits so perfectly for you. The last thing is, like you know, let the listener know how they can connect with you.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So if you guys are listening to this, I would actually love if you just send me a DM on Instagram and tell me that you listened and introduced yourself. I'd love to just hear more about you and what your big mission is and how you listen to your intuition. So you can send me a DM on Instagram. It's at Gracie Calvin, so my last name's hard to spell, so I'm sure that JC will put it in the show notes for us, and you can also email me, gracie, at mindfulsingingstudiocom and share your insights about this podcast.
Speaker 2:And then, if you want to listen to my music, I'm under all streaming platforms Spotify, apple, youtube, pandora, everything Gracie Calvanesoso. I've got two songs out and I have a huge goal of releasing 14 songs this year, so be on the lookout for that. I also have a podcast called the Vocal Empowerment Podcast, where I teach people to connect themselves and their intuition. And if you want to go deeper, I have a program called Unmuted, all on drawing boundaries and listening to your intuition. I have a program called unmuted online drawing boundaries and listening to your intuition. I have my group program, sing from your soul, which is all about singing and connecting to your soul through singing, and I also offer one-on-one sessions for sinners and musicians and creatives and I do one-on-one healing sessions. So I do a lot of things but again, for me it's all about the presence and I love everything that I'm doing and I would absolutely love to connect with all of you guys listening, just send me a DM and share more about you. I'd love to hear more.
Speaker 1:Gracie. Thank you so much again. Thank you, this was so great, jc. This was so much fun. It was perfect. Much fun, it was perfect. Okay. So I can't wait to hear what you think of this and I hope you love Gracie as much as I do.
Speaker 1:I linked all of her stuff in the show notes. So give her a follow on Instagram, listen to her podcast, you know. Take a screenshot of this, share it on Instagram. Tag both of us. Let us know your takeaway. Or you can click in the show notes. At the top there is a send text message button. It says text us. I am the us, us is me. So shoot me a text and tell me what you thought of this episode, what your takeaway was.
Speaker 1:If you want to hear more from Gracie, let us know. Like that's the best part of podcasting and having these conversations is getting to continue the conversation after the episode and if you're really vibing with this, you want to know more. In the show notes is the link to the Audacious Women Society. It is. We meet weekly, talk about our goals. Just get around like-minded women, because you are who you become, who. The five people you hang around with the most Like you are who you are around, so make sure you're in the rooms, leveraging the power of the internet, cultivating this space of audacious women. So click the link in the show. Note you get a link, an email with the Facebook group invite. Come join us.
Speaker 1:But seriously, if you loved it and you want more episodes like this, let me know. Leave a review. Five star rating. Leave a review why you love this episode. It really helps the podcast become more searchable and helps get this message out. So thank you in advance for doing so. First, I want to say thank you so much for listening to today's episode. It truly means so much to me that you were here and that I got to be a small part of your day. I have three things to tell you before you go, though. First, please rate and review this podcast. It truly helps this podcast grow and get the message out, and is such a simple thing that you could do to support this show. Thank you for doing that. Second, share this episode with somebody right now that you know needs to hear it, or take a screenshot, tag me on social media and let me know what you loved about this episode.
Speaker 1:I love getting to connect with you, and the third last thing I have is I cannot let you go without sending you off into the rest of your day with the reminder that I want you to always remember you are worthy, you have value, you get to take up space in this world simply because you exist. Don't let anyone, including yourself, convince you otherwise, and if that idea or vision for your life is in you, it is for you. Living with this phrase in mind in today's world is such a truly audacious thing for you to do so. Until the next time I talk to you, remember, have the audacity.
